I don't think we should minimize the seriousness of the Fukushima situation, but the articles you post are clearly one sided and start with a pre-conceived notion against nuclear. If you want to really discuss Fukushima, or whatever other issue, let's stick to facts instead of politicking.

If youa have any information, measurements, etc of the current situation, please post it here with appropriate references, then we can have a discussion. Posting other people's opinions doesn't help at all.

Talmus, one look at the title of the referenced article is enough to show that the writer is not "reporting" anything, but is trying to convince people that his opinion is *correct*. It's like all those reports that appeared over the last couple of weeks talking about "... Dose rates 1,800 mSv/hr, people would die from radiation in a couple of hours of exposure,..." and so on. All silly, sensational, irresponsible reporting - All of it! I guess the job of these reporters, and others writing such pieces, is to scare people - not to inform them!

HowardE, what aspects of the article would you like to discuss? I can't claim to be an expert on the subject, but I probably am fairly well versed on it, enough to have a half-descent discussion.

I saw those numbers of 1800 mSv/hr thrown around, too, dhimmer. I used to try and set people straight, when I saw such total misinformation being disseminated, but as I get older I find that my patience is not what it used to be, I now just sake my head and think - poor fools And, I'm sorry to say that I have gotten tired of trying to fight a battle where the other side wouldn't hesitate to make up "any number" to make support their point.

"Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense", G. Stein

So what is it that bothers you about the reported doses? I have read dozens of articles, including reports from TEPCO that agree on the doses at the hot spots being 1800 mSv/hr. I am pretty sure that exposure to that dose for 4 hrs (as reported) would very likely kill someone. Are you saying that's not true?

HowardE, I don't think that anyone is doubting a number of 1800 mSv/hr was measured by TEPCO. However, the newspeople that reported it omitted some very "crucial" details that were also provided by TEPCO. For example, they omitted the fact that the 1800 mSv/hr was both beta and gamma at 5 cm from the leaked water and that gamma radiation measured only 1 mSv/hr . They also omitted that beta radiation is easily attenuated by a thin protective layer. They also omitted that even the total beta & gamma dose rate 50 cm from the leaked water was only 15 mSv/hr. They also omitted that the dose delivered in the 1800 mSv/hr beta and gamma field would be mostly skin dose (betas would be stopped by the skin layers) and those reporting also omitted to disclose that when they calculated that someone would receive a fatal dose within 4 hours in that field, they made the (intentional ??) assumption that the 1800 mSv/hr was a whole body equivalent and not skin dose. The 1 mSv/hr gamma radiation measured at 5 cm would be a more appropriate number to use when trying to figure out whole body equivalent doses and possible health effects.

Not discounting that the radioactive water leaking from the tanks is a problem, that needs to be addressed, but this sounds like another "Fukushima radiation kills hundreds of whales..." that you reported a few days ago, which was nothing but a hoax.

Yes, HowardE, but you seem to believe them! All I am saying to you is, don't blindly believe everything you read. Consider teh source and also look around to see if there is anyone else collaborating what you read.